TO THE REV. JOHN QUARRY, RECTOR OF ST. MARY'S, SHANDON, CORK. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, THE general estimation in which your character is held by the Church of CHRIST, -the unwearied solicitude and zeal which you have long evinced in promoting that religion which brings, "Glory to GOD in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men,"-and the instruction and advantages which I have personally received from your ministry and friendship, induced me to submit the following FORMS OF PRAYER to your better judgment, and, since they have met with your approbation, I feel an humble confidence in thus presenting them to the public. Should they be the means through the divine blessing of awakening, comforting, or strengthening any person into whose hands they may fall, I trust we shall unite in rendering all the praise to that gracious Being to whom alone it is due. THAT you, sir, may long continue to be the happy instrument of diffusing the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the person of the Divine Redeemer, both by your public and private ministrations,that you may behold grace reigning triumphant in the hearts of the spiritual children whom the Lord has given you, and that you may meet those who are now your hope and joy, yea, your crown of rejoicing, in the presence of the LORD JESUS, when the pangs of parting and separation shall be eternally forgotten,-is the sincere wish of many an uplifted heart, and I hope of none more fervently than of his, who esteems it his privilege to subscribe himself, Your much obliged friend, Cork, July 8, 1811. The AUTHOR. PREFACE, TO THE FIRST EDITION, THE following PRAYERS for the use of Families and Social Meetings have been the pleasing occupation of the Writer's leisure hours for several months past, and he now ventures to present them to the RELIGIOUS PUBLIC with an ardent desire that they may be attended with the blessing of God. Revelation and experience have deeply impressed his mind with a consciousness of his own inability for a performance of this nature; but he has felt throughout much encouragement from the words of the Apostle Paul, "Our sufficiency is of God." To the strength, the guidance, and the teaching of the Holy Spirit he has daily looked, beseeching him to help his infirmities, to prepare his heart, and to direct his pen; and he humbly hopes that he has not looked altogether in vain. In the composition of these Prayers he has endeavoured to keep the inspired Volume continually in view, desiring that the sentiments which they breathe may correspond with its sacred truths; and considering the Bible as a devotional book; consisting in a great degree, (especially the Psalms of David, and the Epistles of St. Paul) of humble adorations,-contrite acknowledgments of man's guilt, his depravity, and his helplessness,-earnest supplications for mercy, pardon, and peace,—and grateful praises and thanksgiving to our REDEEMING GOD for all blessings, temporal and spiritual, public and personal, he has frequently borrowed its sacred language, and he feels a confidence, that in the estimation of every Christian mind, the language of the BIBLE will be deemed best calculated to promote spiritual worship, to comfort the heart, and to raise the soul to Heaven.* * "How cold and dead does a prayer appear that is composed in the most elegant and polite forms of speech, which are natural to our tongue, when it is not heightened by that solemnity of phrase, which may be drawn from the sacred writings! It has been said by some of the ancients that if the gods were to talk with men, they would certainly speak in Plato's style; but I think we may say with justice, that when |
